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Overview

Course Prescription

The study of articulatory phonetics, phonemic transcription using the International Phonetic Alphabet, and the relationship between phonetics and phonology. Additional language analysis covering morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics.

Course Overview

This course is designed to provide a background in linguistic concepts useful for Speech and Language Therapists. It is a required course for the MSLTPrac degree. The course is taught in a blended-learning format where students are required to prepare for class by working through online modules. Classroom time is then spent discussing the concepts introduced in the online resources and then applying them to data. 

Key Topics

Articulatory Phonetics

  • Speech Production
  • IPA
  • Speech Sounds of English
  • Phonation and Airstream Mechanisms
  • Speech sounds in the Languages of the World


Phonology

  • Phonemes and Allophones
  • Phonological Processes
  • Suprasegmentals


Semantics

  • Lexical relationships
  • Verb Classifications
  • Theta Roles


Morphology

  • Derivation
  • Inflection


Syntax

  • Lexical Categories
  • Phrase Structure
  • Clausal Structure


Communicative Structure

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15-point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15-point course that they are enrolled in. This course is presented in a blended format. Unlike the traditional three-hour lecture and two-hour tutorial of other courses in the Speech Language Therapy Programme, this course consists of an online component and interactive classroom sessions. You are expected to spend two hours a week preparing for the classroom sessions followed by five hours of post classroom activities (homework exercises, revision, assignment preparation). This time is divided between reading on the topic of the week, doing a quiz and writing down questions of material you do not understand.

Locations and Semesters Offered

LocationSemester
Grafton

Teaching and Learning

Campus Experience

  • This course is a blended learning course where students are required to engage with online resources prior to the weekly classroom sessions.
  • Attendance is required at scheduled classroom sessions to receive credit for components of the course.
  • These sessions will be available as recordings.
  • The course will not include live online events.
  • Attendance on campus is mandatory for schedules tests/quizzes.
  • The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.


Learning Resources

Taught courses use a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas to provide students with learning materials including reading lists and lecture recordings (where available). Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Additional Information on Learning Resources

There is online course content on CANVAS students need to access prior to weekly classroom sessions. This is available in the modules CANVAS. Students are also provided with additional tests/readings that they may refer to supplement the online content.

Recommended texts:

  • Ashby, P.   (2005). Speech Sounds (2nd ed.). London, Routledge Higher Education. Available as an ebook.
  • Black, M. & Chiat, S   (2003/2014). Linguistics for clinicians. London, Arnold.


Additional Readings: 

  • The Phonology of English (ch.5). In Kuiper, K. & Allan, W.S. (2024) An Introduction to English Language. (5th. ed). London, Bloomsbury Academic.
  • The Form and Function of Words (ch. 2) Word meanings and Vocabularies (ch. 3). In Kuiper, K. & Allan, W.S. (2024) An Introduction to English Language. (5th. ed). London, Bloomsbury Academic..
  • Sentence semantics 1: Situations (ch. 5). In Saaed, J. (2022). Semantics (5th ed.) Chichester, Wiley-Blackwell. Available as an ebook.
  • Syllables and Suprasegmentals (ch.5). In Kuiper, K. & Allan, W.S. (2024) An Introduction to English Language. (5th. ed). London, Bloomsbury Academic.
  • Beyond the sentence (ch. 9). In Börjas, K. & Burridge, K. (2019). Introducing English Grammar. (3rd. ed) Abingdon Oxon, Routledge Available as an ebook.

Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.


You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third-party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Other Information

This is an intensive course and many topics may only be addressed once, therefore it is in your best interests to attend all interactive sessions. Individual tutelage cannot be provided if you fail to attend sessions throughout the semester. If you are unable to attend a session it is courteous to inform the Course Co-ordinator.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Similarly, research students must meet the University’s expectations of good research practice. This requires:

  • Honesty - in all aspects of research work
  • Accountability - in the conduct of research
  • Professional courtesy and fairness – in working with others
  • Good stewardship – on behalf of others
  • Transparency – of research process and presentation of results
  • Clarity - communication to be understandable, explainable and accessible

For more information on the University’s expectations of academic integrity, please see the Academic Conduct section of the University policy hub.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about taught courses is made available to enrolled students in Canvas.

Students may be asked to submit assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.


Assessment and Learning Outcomes

Special Requirements

No special requirements

Course Learning Outcomes

CLO #OutcomeProgramme Capability Link
1
2
3
4
5
6

Assessments

Assessment TypeAssessment PercentageAssessment Classification

Assessment to CLO Mapping

Assessment Type123456

Student Feedback, Support and Charter

Student Feedback

Feedback on taught courses is gathered from students at the end of each semester through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions. Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students. In addition, class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Additional Information on Student Feedback

Feedback from previous cohorts of SPCHSCI 712 students indicates that the students find the blended-learning environment an excellent way to master the concepts covered in the course. Students like the interactive nature of the classroom time where they have an opportunity to apply the concepts introduced online. They particularly appreciate the fact that the course co-ordinator/lecturer is extremely approachable.

Class representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Tuākana

Tuākana is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacific students providing topic specific tutorials, one-on-one sessions, test and exam preparation and more. Explore your options at Tuakana Learning Communities.

Additional Information on Tuākana

This course is supported by the Tuākana in Science Programme, which facilitates the success and wellbeing of our Māori and Pacific students. The foundation of the Tuākana Programme is the Tuākana-Teina principle an integral relationship in which older or more expert Tuākana (traditionally brother, sister or cousin) guides a younger or less expert Teina (traditionally younger sibling or cousin). This is a reciprocal relationship which fosters safe learning and teaching environments. Read more here: Tuākana Programme

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website.

Wellbeing

We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - please see the Support Services page for information on support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed work is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due. If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page. This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter.

Student Academic Complaints and Disputes

Students with concerns about teaching including how a course is delivered, the resources provided, or supervision arrangements, have the right to express their concerns and seek resolution. The university encourages informal resolution where possible, as this is quicker and less stressful. For information on the informal and formal complaints processes, please refer to the Student Academic Complaints Statute in the Student Policies and Guidelines section of the Policy Hub.